The Blue Star News of Montana

The Blue Star News of
Montana
ECKANKAR -Religion of the Light and Sound
You can hear a
recorded HU song
or see a video on
HU at
www.HearHU.org
January / February 2014 News of public ECK events in Montana
ECK Worship Service
The public is warmly invited to attend ECK Worship Services on selected Sundays in
Montana cities listed below. Each service focuses on an aspect of Eckankar teachings.
They often feature a reading from the ECK works; singing HU, talks, music, and a group
discussion of spiritual principles at work in daily life. The service lasts about one hour.
Join others seeking to bring more insight and divine love into their lives at this special
celebration of the Light and Sound of God.
For more information visit
www.eckankarinmontana.org
True worship is listening to God.
Harold Klemp, the spiritual Leader of ECKANKAR
Billings, Montana, Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. on the 3rd Sunday of each month: January 19 and February 16 at the
Elk’s Lodge, 934 Lewis Ave. Please enter the south (back) side of the building. There is also plenty of room for parking
on that side.
January Officiator is Candace Durand. The theme is What Would Love Do.
February Officiator is Ryan Torkelson. The theme is Sing HU to Find Your Way.
Helena, Montana, Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. on the 1st Sunday of each month: January 5 and February 2 at the
Wingate Hotel, 2007 N Oakes in the “Sleeping Giant” room.
January Officiator is Rebecca Yapuncich. The theme is Experiences with the Light and Sound of God.
February Officiator is Michael Fay. The theme is Sing HU to Find Your Way.
Missoula, Montana, Worship Service at 10 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of each month: January 12 and February 9 at Ruby’s
Inn and Convention Center, 4825 North Reserve Street, Room 700.
January Officiator is Norman Lee. The theme is Experiences with the Light and Sound of God.
February Officiator is Ryan Torkelson. The theme is Sing HU to Find Your Way.
Kalispell, Montana, Worship Service at 11 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of each month: January 12 and February 9 at the
Holiday Inn Express.
January Officiator is Celeste Chiapetta. The theme is Experiences with the Light and Sound of God.
February Officiator is Jennifer Middleton. The theme is Sing HU to Find Your Way.
BOOK DISCUSSIONS
Great Falls, Montana, call 406-453-4133 for time and place of local activities.
For more information visit: www.eckankarinmontana.org OR www.eckankar.org
The Year of Light & Sound
The Blue Star News of Montana
- 2-
January/February 2014
What is Eckankar?
Montana Contact Information
State wide: Norman Lee, 406 375-9077
Billings: Shayla, 406 245-4771
Bozeman: Anita, 406 581-9953
Hamilton: Deb, 406 360-6796
Helena: Dick, 406 227-3534
Kalispell: Virgil, 406 420-2035
Missoula: 406 375-9077 or
406 244-0008
Eckankar teaches that there is an audible life current known as the ECK,
or Holy Spirit, that connects each of us with the heart of God. We can
experience the ECK as Light and Sound. Through study and practice of
the Spiritual Exercises of ECK, we learn to recognize the Light and
sound of God as It touches our lives and brings increased divine love.
The spiritual leader of Eckankar is the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master,
Sri Harold Klemp. The Mahanta is the inner, or spiritual form of the
Living ECK Master. The Mahanta gives inner guidance through
dreams, Soul Travel, and the Spiritual Exercises of ECK. Harold
Klemp’s inspiring talks and writings, and his practical approach to
spirituality, help thousands of people worldwide find greater freedom,
wisdom, and love. His teachings uplift and help people recognize their
own experiences with the Light and Sound of God.
PRACTICING HU
HU is one of the most sacred names for God. If you sing it, it’ll give you the spiritual insight that other people wish
they had. But it doesn’t come overnight. You have to develop it like any other skill.
If you ever get yourself in a place where you need hope, where you’re cut off from communication with loved ones,
sing HU with love and reverence.
Look for the Light and listen for the Sound of God. It may come as the tinkling of bells.
Harold Klemp, What is Spiritual Freedom? – Mahanta Transcripts, Book 11, p. 95.
HU CHANTS IN MONTANA
Billings, Montana, at 5:30 p.m. on 1st Tuesday: January 7 and February 4 at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2032 Central
Avenue.
Missoula, Montana, at 9:00 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of each month: January 12 and February 9 at Ruby’s Inn and Convention
Center, 4825 North Reserve Street, Room 700 .
Great Falls, Montana, at 8:00 p.m. every Sunday night at 423 15 th Street S.
Hamilton, Montana at 6:30 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of each month: January 14 and February 11 at the Center for Spiritual Living,
1720 N First, Suite C.
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and not necessarily those of ECKANKAR, or the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master, Sri
Harold Klemp. Copyright © 2014 ECKANKAR. All rights reserved. The terms ECKANKAR, ECK, EK, MAHANTA, SOUL TRAVEL, and VAIRAGI, among
others, are trademarks of ECKANKAR, PO Box 2000 Chanhassen MN 55317-2000 USA. Published by Montana Satsang Society.
The Blue Star News of Montana
- 3-
January/February 2014
Past Lives – Have you Lived Before?
(continued)
It’s hard for some people to accept this information
about reincarnation as a foundation for the miracle
of birth. So they make up other explanations – e.g.,
that past-life claims are maybe some kind of mental
transference. But wouldn’t it be less of a problem to
accept the simple fact of rebirth? Then you’d find
sense behind the bounds of reincarnation.
Genius and disability are two examples of the
influence of past lives. Why are some people born
with advantages, other with disadvantages? Because
of what they’ve earned in past lives and have set out
to learn in this life.
People of some religions other than Eckankar also
know and accept the principle of reincarnation. It’s a
principle of divine love in action.
Reincarnation allows people, like you and me, to
have a chance to develop the quality of divine love.
This opportunity comes through the hardships and
uncertainties of life, as well as in the joys and
fulfillment of living. Se we develop the quality of
divine love.
This love makes us more godlike creatures.
Harold Klemp, Spiritual Experiences Guidebook pp. 12, 13.
Have you ever wanted to:
· understand why your life is the way it is?
· conquer a long-standing habit or problem?
· gain assurance of the eternal nature of Soul?
Next newsletter: Why Remember Past Lives?
Spiritual Design of Life
There is a continuity to Soul’s experience with
the Mahanta. One initiate learned this after he
wrote to me to express an interest in knowing
his past lives. The Mahanta showed him a
recent life.
He had grown up in North Carolina as an
Episcopalian. As a young lad, he had gone with
his father to a newspaper office where Paul
Twitchell worked, and Paul had made quite an
impression on him. The individual translated
as a child in that life.
A short time later he came back in another
body, again in the South. He was a young man
when the Korean War broke out, and he
decided to enlist in the service. Traveling by
bus to the induction center, he had to stay
overnight at a hotel in a small town along the
way. But the room was so lonely that he
decided to go out for a walk.
Near the edge of town, a man suddenly came
around the corner of a barn. He didn’t know
who the man was then, but in this lifetime he
recognized him as the great ECK Master
Rebazar Tarzs. He listened respectfully as
Rebazar talked to him about a number of
things. Then the two men laughed and joked
for a while before they parted. Rebazar’s final
words to him were, “Don’t worry, things are
going to work out well for you.”
The individual left that lifetime as a young
soldier when he drove a jeep too fast around a
corner and it overturned.
This man was fortunate to be shown several
recent lives in which he came in contact with
ECK Masters. Though he hadn’t gone far
enough in any of those lives, each one was an
important step to the life he leads today [as a
member of ECKANKAR].
Harold Klemp, Cloak of Consciousness –Mahanta Transcripts, Book 5,
pp. 174-175.
The Blue Star News of Montana
-4-
January/February 2014
THE POWER OF HU
Spiritual Laws of Life
Detachment – Giving up strong
affection for the environment and
possessions, but not ceasing to identify
with them; becoming independent of
them; mentally free from love of the
world and all worldly desires.
The word detachment is too cold. What
is meant in spiritual terms is this – we, as
one with all, will have a certain amount
of pleasure and pain, but will not let it
affect our emotional balance too greatly
to throw our minds into the extreme
poles of joy or sorrow. The real control is
detachment from fear. Once you have
gained this important attribute of God,
then you can enjoy greater life. Yes, you
can have a joy mixed with pain and not
be affected to the same extent as
previously. Only when fear is in control
of those two poles is your life attached to
its physical, mental, and spiritual
possessions. Give up fear and you need
never give up another thing in your life.
Great joys physically, mentally, and
spiritually can become yours, balanced
by what sorrows there need be in your
life!
Harold Klemp, The Spiritual Laws of Life, p. 83.
FEAR … Just saying the word makes you think of things you are afraid of …
fear of heights … fear of deep water … spiders… snakes… speaking in public
… FEAR – just four little letters. Then … mind and body reacts providing the
fodder for an intense feedback loop!
This is a typical Montana story. It involves horses, wilderness camping, and a
pickup truck. Did I mention horses?
Some years back, a small group of ECKists went on a pack trip in the
Scapegoat wilderness. While several members of the group owned horses,
had lots of experience with them and wilderness camping, neither my
husband nor I had any experience with horses. While the rest of the group
would be living in the wilderness for a week, we were there for a long
weekend only. We had a great time experiencing the wilderness with our
friends with nothing out of the ordinary happening.
When it was time for us to leave, everyone hiked or rode back to the
trailhead where cars and horse trailers were parked. We agreed to transport
one of the extra horses back to Norm’s house in Seeley Lake.
After a farewell lunch together, we got ready to head home. Now, this is
where the pickup truck comes in. We had a Dodge Dakota – although it is a
small pickup, it is big enough to tow a horse trailer. Therefore, after saying
our “good-byes,” we were off!
It was not long before we noticed that the trailer body was moving from side
to side but still within our lane of traffic. Having never towed an animal
before, we thought this was normal. Then, the trailer started fishtailing.
This seemed more serious. We slowed down hoping this would help. It did
not.
It was at this point that I experienced FEAR. What if the trailer became so
unstable that it tipped over, horse and all? If it did, would it take the truck
with it? What if? What if? I got into that classic feedback loop of fear and
sent out waves of FEAR. They must have been strong because the horse
began to raise quite a ruckus! While neither of us knew much about horses,
we knew that Jake wanted out of that trailer.
At this point, I tried to calm myself by chanting and singing HU to myself. I
am sure that Ernie, my husband, was doing the same thing, too. HU is a love
song to God. Singing HU can bring greater awareness of love into a situation – and this was definitely a situation. Singing HU
quieted my mind and allowed me to listen to God. It replaced the waves of fear with waves of love.
We pulled off the road to evaluate the condition of the trailer, Jake, and ourselves. While Ernie tended to Jake, I noticed fields of
tall grass. I gathered arms full of grass and gave it to Jake. I concluded that Jake wanted to get out to get to that beautiful tall
grass. With Jake occupied, we finished our journey to Seeley Lake. I sang HU and sent out waves of calming love all the way. I
also knew that this would be the last time I wanted to be anywhere near a horse.
Amazingly, whenever I thought back at that experience, the fear returned. I was right back experiencing that scary afternoon; just
like before, I responded by singing HU. I also received a message to write down the story. This finally removed the fear. Looking
back, the power of HU blessed me twice!
Kathy Birdsall
The Blue Star News of Montana
-5-
January/February 2014
WIND CHIMES
The Protection of the ECK works in many ways. A woman told me about an experience she had one
Saturday when she went to the office to get caught up on some work. Her husband dropped her off in
front of the building, and they agreed that he would come back at a certain time to take her home.
No one else was in the office that day, so she got right to work. When it looked like she would finish up
sooner than she expected, she decided to call her husband and have him come early. But when she picked
up the phone, the line was dead. She tried the phones in the other offices, too – all dead. The silence
made her very nervous.
Then her imagination went to work. What if an intruder had broken into the building and cut the phone
wires? Should she try to run out the front door? No, she didn’t dare – he could be lurking in some corner,
just waiting for her to leave. And with the phone lines dead, she couldn’t call for help. What should she
do? The more she thought about it, the more panicky she got.
The best bet was to stay in her office and try to keep busy until her husband arrived. She sat down at her
desk, put her attention on the Mahanta, and got back to work.
Pretty soon she heard a familiar sound, like the melodious tinkling of chimes in the wind. She and her
husband had a beautiful set of wind chimes on their porch and the soft music was very comforting. She
got so absorbed in what she was doing that she actually thought she was at home. In fact, when her
husband same to get her a little while later, she looked up and was surprised to find herself still at the
office.
She realized that the music of the chimes, which brought such comfort, was merely an indication of the
Sound Current, which is the ECK or Holy Spirit. It came to say “Don’t worry, the protection of the Master is
here with you. Go ahead and finish your work; everything is all right.”
Harold Klemp, Unlocking the Puzzle Box – Mahanta Transcripts, Book 6, pp. 177-178.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Blue Star of Montana Newsletter is available in both email and snail mail versions. For the email
version, please send address to the editor at [email protected]. The suggested donation for the snail
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Name: _____________________________________________
The Blue Star News of Montana
Montana Satsang Society
P.O. Box 984
Bonner, MT 59853
According to Federal guidelines, the material
value of this publication is insubstantial and
therefore the full amount of your contribution
is tax deductible.
Address: __________________________________________
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Email Address: ___________________________________
Visit: www.eckankar.org
Call 1-800-LOVE GOD
“God is love, and Soul exists because God loves it”
Love, the Keystone of Life, Harold Klemp
Sri Harold Klemp, the
Mahanta, the Living
ECK Master
Montana Satsang Society
P.O. Box 984
Bonner, MT 59823
FORWARDING AND ADDRESS
CORRECTION REQUESTED
Log on to www.eckankarinmontana.org for color copy
FACING LIFE’S CHALLENGES
Soul hasn’t any problems; we have problems in our mental,
emotional, or physical bodies. Soul hasn’t any real problems
to speak of.
It isn’t concerned about a whole lot of things; It isn’t
concerned about how long we live, because Soul is eternal.
Harold Klemp, Touching the Face of God, p. 80.